CES 2013: The Future Of Technology Is On Display In Vegas

John Gaudiosi is co-founder of GameHub Content Network and Editor-In-Chief of GamerHub.tv. He's covered the video game industry for 20 years for outlets like Reuters, The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes, CNN, Entertainment Weekly, Geek Magazine, NVISION and Tegrazone.

 Published January 8, 2013 3:40 AM

More than 3,250 exhibitors unveil new technologies across 1.9 million net square feet at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

CES 2013 opened its doors today featuring more than 3,250 exhibitors across 1.9 million net square feet of exhibit space, breaking both space and exhibitor records that were set last year. Innovation propelled this year’s preshow press events that kicked off with 74 companies showcasing their latest tech at CES Unveiled on Sunday night, and nearly 30 exhibitors launching new products during CES Press Day. Owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the 2013 International CES, the world’s largest annual innovation event, opens today and runs through Friday, January 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Some 20,000 new products will launch this week at the 2013 International CES and we couldn’t be more excited to kick off this record-breaking show,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. “CES has an incredible story to tell with every major technology company spanning the globe participating in this year’s CES to showcase their innovations.”

Qualcomm’s chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), Dr. Paul Jacobs, delivered the preshow keynote address Monday evening to highlight the company’s mobile roots. “We are at the heart of mobile devices that are the center of everything you do,” said Jacobs. He was joined on stage by Microsoft President and CEO Steve Ballmer to demo Microsoft Windows products that include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 10 processor. The Snapdragon 800 will be a premium processor for tablets, smartphones and full PCs and leverage the power of LTE, ultra HD and 7.1 surround.

It was a star-studded event with preview clips from two upcoming motion pictures debuted. Celebrity appearances were made by director Guillermo Del Toro, NASCAR’s Brad Keselowski and Marc Jenkins, Star Trek Into the Darkness actor Alice Eve and Scott Chambers and Big Bird from Sesame Street. The event capped off with a performance by Adam Levine and two other members of multi-platinum, three-time Grammy Award winning band Maroon 5.